Mr. Blasberg's Book Corner: Andy Warhol's New York City

Welcome back to Mr. Blasberg's Book Corner, wherein our editor at large Derek Blasberg picks his read of the week, and meets the author. This week isn't just a good read — it's also a fabulous cardio workout. Let's look at Andy Warhol's New York City, a book that is equal parts art history and tourist attraction. Here, Blasberg meets Thomas Kiedrowski, the art tour guide who spent hours meticulously piecing some of Warhol's most famous pilgrimages back together.

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Derek Blasberg: This book may be hard for some book sellers to classify: Is it a tour guide or a perspective on art history?

Thomas Kiedrowski:Andy Warhol's New York City is like a pilgrimage. Is there a section in bookstores for that? I suppose you could call it a guidebook, though it's more than that. It contains elements of a Warhol biography and an architectural guide. I also think of it as a history of the city and what it may have felt like in Warhol's time. The book reaches out to those who might have longed to be there, like myself.

DB: I've read that Andy was a prolific walker. Is this true?

TK: Few artists took to the city of New York better like Andy Warhol. From the 50s through the 80s until his death, Warhol really got around. Initially, running all over town to various ad agencies with his commercial art portfolio, then in the 60s, he began making public appearances at parties. Each night he and his entourage had a list of places to drop in at. Beginning in the 70s, he turned to the his fellow New Yorkers by handing them a free Interview magazine while passing people on the street. By the late 70s into the 80s, he really tried to stay in shape. He would start off at his townhouse on 66th street, walk up to 76th and Madison for a look into Vito Giallo antiques, grab a bite at 3 Guys Restaurant and then proceed to Union Square, stopping at various shops along the way. That's easily 70-80 blocks, or about 5 miles — just to start the day.

DB: How did you research the book?

TK: The research was wonderful. Besides visiting the New York Public Library, the Historical Society, the Department of Records, and MoMA's research library, I reached out to many people who knew Andy Warhol. The more I visited with Warhol's former friends, co-workers, and roommates, the more I understood how Andy Warhol became the Andy Warhol as we know him today.

DB: And how did you break up the walks?

TK: With over 300 locations revolving around Warhol's life in the city, the editor and I narrowed the walks down to focus on the main areas of his life, his work and the areas of entertainment, like Studio 54. We really tried to work in a little bit of everything with each walk.

DB: Truman Capote, who's home is on the Upper East Side tour, once said he could remember seeing Andy Warhol stalk him outside his apartment. Did you know this before you started working on the book? What other amazing historical tidbits or interesting stories did you uncover?

TK: Warhol loved celebrity and gossip! If he wasn't trying to befriend a celebrity, he would position himself so that he could hear the latest gossip. Warhol did have a habit of waiting around for folks he liked, such as Julie Andrews and Truman Capote. After a few hours of waiting, most people would get tired — but not Warhol. Like when he tried to get commercial work at ad agencies, he was very persistent. Warhol knew the area around Truman's apartment so well that he ended up buying a house only 2-3 blocks away a few years later.

DB: Were there any historic places that were demolished or had moved?

TK: Unfortunately, many buildings have been displaced due to the real estate market and the "visions" of developers. The last factory that Warhol used was a great old art deco Con Edison station. He didn't want to build a new building but use something that he thought was already beautiful. It took three years (from 81-84) to outfit the building for their use. After Warhol died, the Foundation eventually sold the building, and it remained an office building for a few more years, until it was ultimately torn down for a high rise condo. However, after the structure was demolished, the condo deal fell through and the lot now sits empty.

DB: When someone does the walk, are they likely to meet someone who knew Andy?

TK: I think it's difficult to do a tour and not run into someone who had met or known Andy Warhol! He was such a strong presence in the city for so many years. I run into people all the time who tell me that they used to see Warhol here or there. Steven Bruce and Joseph Calderone, the wonderful guys at Serendipity III, plan a seance each year to connect with Warhol. This year, the seance is in September. So, one may actually get to connect with the artist himself!